The FAOSTAT domain Cropland Nutrient Balance disseminates nutrient flows in a given country and year. The cropland nutrient balance can give an indication of nutrient use efficiency, as it can help quantify excess nutrients leading to environmental risks, for instance, greenhouse gas emissions or pollution from volatilization and leaching/runoff. It can also signal cropland nutrient deficits that limit crop production. This brief analyses global, regional and country trends for the period 1961–2022.